health

What causes Tourette's Syndrome and can the condition be treated?

Tourette's syndrome is a disorder characterized by abnormal twitching (known as tics) and the tendency to shout out inappropriate words (usually of the four letter variety).

The condition is believed to be heredity although there have been many cases where there was no family history of the disorder.

As yet we don't know the exact causes of Tourette's although it is thought to be in some way related to the chemical in the brain called dopamine, the same substance believed to be behind Parkinson's disease. We also know that the tics and shouting are often aggravated with stress.